Political Science Schools and Programs in Venezuela

Political Science Studies in Venezuela

Political science in Venezuela is an undergraduate licenciatura, the first university degree. Depending on the university, the degree is called Ciencias Políticas or Estudios Políticos y Administrativos, and its graduates are known as politólogos. The subject is usually taught in a faculty of legal and political sciences, next to the law school. Teaching is in Spanish.

SpainExchange lists 3 universities in Venezuela for this subject: one in Caracas, one in Mérida in the Andes, and one in San Cristóbal in the state of Táchira.

How the degree is organised

The Universidad Central de Venezuela (UCV) in Caracas teaches the subject in its Escuela de Estudios Políticos y Administrativos. The school belongs to the Facultad de Ciencias Jurídicas y Políticas, which the university dates to 1827. The faculty has 2 schools, law and political studies, and 4 research institutes, one of them the Instituto de Estudios Políticos. New students at the school have entered through a preparatory course (curso propedéutico), according to the faculty's notices for 2024.

The Universidad de Los Andes (ULA) offers Ciencias Políticas at its main campus in Mérida. The degree sits in the Facultad de Ciencias Jurídicas y Políticas together with law and criminology. The ULA describes itself as the second university in Venezuela in chronological order.

The Universidad Católica del Táchira (UCAT), a private university in San Cristóbal, offers a Licenciatura en Ciencias Políticas with two specialisations (menciones):

• Política Internacional (international politics)
• Administración y Gestión Pública (public administration and management)

The UCAT degree lasts 5 years and is organised in full academic years. The qualification awarded is Licenciado en Ciencias Políticas in both specialisations. According to UCAT, students learn to use theoretical models to analyse political events and to apply methods for designing, implementing and evaluating public policy.

Admission and language

Each university runs its own admission process, and the steps differ between public and private institutions.

• At the ULA, applicants choose a degree, check the entry route that fits their profile, pay an admission fee and register online for the entrance tests. The university runs two admission processes each year. Admitted students then complete their enrolment at the central student registry office (OCRE).
• At UCAT, new applicants pre-register with a copy of their identity document and the payment receipt. UCAT states that foreign applicants who are admitted must present a type TE (Transeúnte Estudiante) student visa.

The Libro de Oportunidades de Estudios Universitarios (LOEU), the online study guide of the Oficina de Planificación del Sector Universitario (OPSU), lists degrees by field of knowledge and gives the entry requirements of public and private institutions. International students need enough Spanish to follow lectures and write academic papers. They should ask the university how a foreign school-leaving certificate must be legalised before they apply.

Recognition

The LOEU is an official publication of the Consejo Nacional de Universidades. It shows the programmes and institutions that are approved and legally recognised in Venezuela, so it is the place to check a degree before enrolling. Graduates who plan to work or continue studying in another country must have the Venezuelan licenciatura recognised under that country's rules.

Careers

The ULA, citing the LOEU, describes the political scientist as someone who works as a civil servant or as an adviser to companies, trade unions and research centres. The work consists of providing evidence for the decisions and plans of public authorities and of private bodies with a public interest, and of researching political problems. The occupational areas it lists include government ministries, foreign trade and teaching in higher education.

UCAT adds consultancy for government, business and social organisations, conflict resolution and the analysis of public policy. Graduates of its international politics specialisation are prepared for work on international affairs. No official employment figures for graduates were found.

Frequently asked questions

What is the political science degree called in Venezuela?

It is a licenciatura called Ciencias Políticas or Estudios Políticos y Administrativos, depending on the university. Graduates are known as politólogos.

How long does it take to study political science in Venezuela?

At the Universidad Católica del Táchira the Licenciatura en Ciencias Políticas lasts 5 years. Other universities publish the length in their own study plans.

Is there an entrance exam?

It depends on the university. The Universidad de Los Andes uses entrance tests and holds two admission processes each year, while other universities set their own procedures.

Where do political science graduates work?

According to the Universidad de Los Andes, they work as civil servants and advisers in ministries, companies, trade unions and research centres, and as teachers in higher education.